LO
While the thrust of your argument is probably correct, I can tell you for certain that CTOL carrier designs were looked at throughout the preconcept and concept phases - and beyond into assessment. The convertible carrier design (delta) was always maintained on the basis that Dave B always looked a tad dodgy.
Why the UK chose to persist with Dave B when all was clearly not well in terms of range / bring-back (hence the R*L!!!!) I suspect originated with the realisation in certain quarters that the rationale for 1(F), 3 and 4 sqdns was rapidly disappearing, post BAOR/RAFG and hence force structure was at risk. (Not in any way intended to denigrate the contribution of those sqns by the way, but in a world where the GR1/4 was the Op Deny Flight choice, there wasn't a huge amount of room for the GR5/7 force), not even given Balkan contribution.
STOVL and by definition carrier-based ops (even via the JFH concept) allowed survival. Oh the irony.............